The present invention relates to an electronic license plate and more particularly pertains to digitally displaying relevant information for a vehicle.
The use of vehicle license plate assemblies is known in the prior art. More specifically, vehicle license plate assemblies heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of replacing conventional license plates are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,179 to Smith discloses an electronic replacement for a conventional license plate with means to display various plate information and includes anti-theft features and the ability to sense and adjust the display for ambient light conditions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,571 to Bantli discloses a digital display for use as an electronic license plate and incorporates bi-directional communications allowing for uses including electronic monitoring by law enforcement officials. U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,008 to Bantli discloses an electronic license plate with means to render the device inoperative and transmit an alarm signal in the event of tampering.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe an electronic license plate for digitally displaying relevant information for a vehicle.
In this respect, the electronic license plate according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of digitally displaying relevant information for a vehicle.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved electronic license plate which can be used for digitally displaying relevant information for a vehicle. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
In the view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of vehicle license plate assemblies now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved electronic license plate. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved electronic license plate which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a housing having a generally rectangular configuration. The housing is mountable to the license plate support of the vehicle and is powered by a vehicle power system. The housing has a front face comprised of a digital display. The digital display displays relevant license plate information of the vehicle. The information relates to a license plate number, a state of issue, and an expiration date. The housing includes a memory chip therein for storing the relevant license plate information thereon. The memory chip is in communication with a main computer system of a selected agency. License plate disabling mechanisms are in communication with the memory chip whereby removal of the housing from the vehicle will disable the memory chip and prevent future use of the electronic license plate. In addition, removal of the license plate disables the vehicle. Special status display mechanisms are in communication with the main computer system and with the memory chip whereby a report of theft entered into the main computer system will display such a status on the digital display.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved electronic license plate which has all the advantages of the prior art vehicle license plate assemblies and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved electronic license plate which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved electronic license plate which is of durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved electronic license plate which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such an electronic license plate economically available to the buying public.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved electronic license plate for digitally displaying relevant information for a vehicle.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved electronic license plate including a housing having a generally rectangular configuration. The housing is mountable to the license plate support of the vehicle and is powered by a vehicle power system. The housing has a front face comprised of a digital display. The digital display displays relevant license plate information of the vehicle. The information relates to a license plate number, a state of issue, and an expiration date. The housing includes a memory chip therein for storing the relevant license plate information thereon. The memory chip is in communication with a main computer system of a selected agency. License plate disabling mechanisms are in communication with the memory chip whereby removal of the housing from the vehicle will disable the memory chip and prevent future use of the electronic license plate. In addition, removal of the license plate disables the vehicle. Special status display mechanisms are in communication with the main computer system and with the memory chip whereby a report of theft entered into the main computer system will display such a status on the digital display.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.